Love of the Brothers

How many of you think like I do?

If all those who are unsaved, those who came against us continually in our determination to walk with Christ, would repent and become born again we would break into our happy dance, welcome them and proceed as though we had no past at all.

For me becoming born again was the day I was really born. Any sin before that was wiped away, this would be so too for anyone who trusts Christ.

Isaiah 1:17-18 "…17 Learn to do good; Seek justice, Reprove the ruthless, Defend the orphan, Plead for the widow. 18 "Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD, "Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool."

Those who become reconciled to Christ are also reconciled to us.

1 John 3:14
"We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death."

The Way of the Unbeliever is Destruction

In an effort to be liked by non-believers, the believers have become like the non-believers. The more time we spend in the company of the non-believer the more we accept their ways.

1 Corinthians 15:33-34 "33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.” 34 Sober up as you ought, and stop sinning; for some of you are ignorant of God. I say this to your shame.…"

1 John 2:15 "15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love o...f the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world."

Many believers who do not do big bad sinful things, still have the problem of desiring to be liked by those who hate God.

Psalm 37:1-2 "1 A Psalm of David. Do not fret because of evildoers, Be not envious toward wrongdoers. 2 For they will wither quickly like the grass And fade like the green herb.…"

John 3:18-20 "…18 Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 And this is the verdict: The Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness more than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come into the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.…"

The Truth About Many Christians Today

Sherry Todd said this in a comment, it is very good so I am sharing it here:

"My son's gf told me she was thinking about going to church and being Christian but she does not wanna be as Christian as me,bcuz I'm extreme so I said if you call reading the bible going to church and speaking his word and living it is extreme then what are you thinking of being is just what you are already ..worldly.not Godly not Holy or Christ like but just what you have been what are kids being taught Christianity is? Just a show up at a church somewhere God help me to be more Christ like to show forth always your heart n guide these young ppl today."

Changing the Mind Heals Wounds

When we admit our sin, we are changing our mind about what we want for ourselves. Each time we change our mind, which is what repentance is, God will cleanse us to walk more holy, and relationships will be restored because we have shown a deep love for someone else we have hurt, more than likely they will respond with love. When someone is not willing to confess then their own self exaltation takes front and center stage over their friend.

Philippians 2:2-4 "…2 then make my joy complete by being of one mind, having the same love, being united in spirit and purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.…"

Honest Self Reflection

Honest Self Reflection can only occur when our hearts are deeply concerned about being holy as Christ is holy.

If our interest is merely to "appear" holy, play acting in front of others, while nurturing and massaging bitter contempt toward anyone who attempts to instruct us, then we will never bow to the God we cannot see.

When we contemptuously resist brothers and sisters in Christ, that we can see with our eyes, who are attempting to help guide us to greater holiness, we will never submit to God Whom we cannot see.

Superior Attitudes Prevent Salvation

I am convinced that many of those who claim to be believers never were born again. Their need to be superior prevented them from becoming born again. Until we let go of any sense of being special we cannot see our own sinfulness and will never come to Christ confessing that sinfulness.

Win Them By The Gospel

Lifestyle evangelism that promotes being close friends with non-believers to influence them is based on humanistic psychology. The thinking that if we can get others to like us they will ask when they see we are different, is not Biblical.

We are not called to get people to like us so they will like Jesus. We are called to preach the gospel, told to walk away if they don't receive it and become close friends with those who love Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:33 " 33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.”

The idea of "lifestyle" evangelism doesn't come from God's word but is being used as an excuse to stay connected to the world. It is a lie that when we become friends with unbelievers they will like us and then like Christ.

Try it sometime, stop just being friendly and begin sharing the truth of the gospel and watch whether or not they remain friends with you. 9 times out of 10 they will despise you, avoid you and mock you. The one that does not do this will tolerate you but never come to Christ.

God did not tell us to become friends to be liked first and then maybe they will like Christ. Just the opposite was conveyed by God, that we will be rejected by most no matter how friendly we were.

Notice that Christ did absolutely nothing wrong ever, he healed, he preached the gospel, he obeyed His Father perfectly and yet the whole world rejected Him, with the exception of a few. They nailed Him to the cross because of their contempt. They didn't know that they were furthering the plan of salvation by this act of hate, but God used their contempt and hatred to shed His blood for the world.

Preach the Gospel is the command from Christ. PREACH!!!!

2 Timothy 4:2 "1 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of His appearing and His kingdom: 2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and encourage with every form of patient instruction. 3 For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires.…"

Matthew 10:22 "…21 Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. 22 You will be hated by everyone on account of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved. 23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next. Truly I tell you, you will not reach all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.…"

John 15:21 "…20 Remember the word that I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you as well; if they kept My word, they will keep yours as well. 21 But they will treat you like this on account of My name, because they do not know the One who sent Me."

What Christians Have Forgotten

We are commanded not to make unbelievers our constant companions. "Come out from among them and be ye separate."

I think this is what our "Christian" culture has forgotten. In an effort to be liked by unbelievers they have attempted to be like them.

2 Corinthians 6:16-18 "…16 What agreement can exist between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be My people.” 17 “Therefore come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.” 18 And: “I will be a father to you, and you will be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”…"

Often we are criticized for not mixing with certain people who claim to be Christians. The problem comes when we mix with those who claim to be Christian but are rebellious and stubborn.

God clearly tells us to remove ourselves from those who refuse to obey God.

Titus 3:10 "As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him,"

1 Peter 2:1-25 "2 So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—
3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.
4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious,
5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
6 For it stands in Scripture:
“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,
a cornerstone chosen and precious,
and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”
7 So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe,
“The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone,”
8 and
“A stone of stumbling,
and a rock of offense.”
They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.
12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.
13 Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor[c] as supreme,
14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good.
15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.
16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.
17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust.
19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly.
20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God.
21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.
22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth.
23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.
24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls."

Hyper Sensitivity is Pride

I am now convinced that narcissists are hyper sensitive to correction and instruction because they are fragile from the constant struggle to be the god in their own life.

When someone comes along recognizing that they are not gods, that they have flaws like all of us, they become enraged and threatened.

In order to maintain their godlike view of their own importance, they must have only those around them who continually elevate them.

They are broken, but refuse to admit their need for Christ and those who are Christians have not submitted to Him or they would be ashamed of their own self worship.

If we have family members like this we must keep our distance while praying for them. Those who walk disobediently on a regular basis in a big way, will only dilute our walk with Christ, they will not be helped by anything we say and do and they will be a hindrance to our spiritual growth.

Our love for Christ must be greater than our love for others and our love for others must be based on God's principles. It is only through obedience to Him that brings about change in anyone's heart.

Many people are experiencing this matter of disrespectful and disobedient family members who have chosen self worship over Christ.

My answer to this is, keep obeying God no matter what anyone else is doing or what they do to you. Escape them if you can, but learn the ways to handle them in a Christlike manner if you cant avoid them.

Seeking God through prayer and Scripture study is our only hope, at least that we become what He wants us to be, while leaving the narcissist to God.

Struggling with the Flesh

There are those who think they cannot sin after they are born again. Sadly those who think this would never feel compelled to apologize to those they have hurt nor would they see a need to work out problems in relationships.

There are those who do know we sin after salvation but still operate as though they never sin. Without confession of sin toward those we have harmed, there can be no reconciliation and no forgiveness. God requires confession because the only way to move forward in Spiritual growth is to tell on ourselves to God and others. This demonstrates a willingness and desire to grow in holiness.

If we never sinned after salvation there would be no need for Christ's covering. Studying the Passover, the people were not perfect in those houses where the blood was smeared on the doorposts, they merely belonged to God, the blood was the sign that they were His and the angel passed over them.

The Passover was a picture of what Christ would do in their future and has done in our past. Christ's blood covers our sin! We hate sin as He does, we were changed in our spirit into a new creation. but we struggle continually with the sinful flesh.

If you do not struggle with the flesh perhaps you were never born again.  Only those who are lost don't think they need to struggle.

The Stubborn Prideful Heart

The stubborn and prideful heart want no correction ever. When we are inclined toward God, we are ashamed when we are confronted with sin if in fact what we did was sin.

However, those who are arrogant, only want to view themselves in an elevated position, will rage at any correction or instruction no matter how minor.

Isaiah 2:12 "For the Lord of hosts will have a day of reckoning...
Against everyone who is proud and lofty And against everyone who is lifted up, That he may be abased."

James 4:10 "10 "Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you."

Jeremiah 9:23 "23 "Thus says the Lord, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches;"

Proverbs 8:13 "13 “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil;
Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverted mouth, I hate."

Proverbs 11:2 When pride comes, then comes dishonor,
But with the humble is wisdom."

Preaching Holiness Makes People Run

If preachers would preach holiness and a spirit sold out to God the church gathering empty out and only those left would be the ones who desire to know the heart of God.

In our culture the new hate speech is anything that corrects or instructs in ways that the hearer doesn't want to hear. We can expect to be maligned, judged, mocked and demeaned by those who have a deeply rebellious streak in their hearts.

Isaiah 30:9-11 "…9 For this is a rebellious people, false sons, Sons who refuse to listen To the instruction of the LORD; 10 Who say to the seers, "You must not see visions"; And to the prophets, "You must not prophesy to us what is right, Speak to us pleasant words, Prophesy illusions. 11"Get out of the way, turn aside from the path, Let us hear no more about the Holy One of Israel."…"

Next time you are compelled by God to chastise stubborn believers, remember that you will be targeted merely because you stand for truth and most people in the church gatherings today have no interest in truth. Their only interest is in being seen as special and superior.

Proverbs 23:8-9 "8 You will vomit up the morsel you have eaten, And waste your compliments. 9 Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, For he will despise the wisdom of your words."

It is not a good idea to make fools your close friends, they have no intention of valuing you or the wisdom you speak from the Word of God.

Matthew 7:6 "Do not give dogs what is holy; do not throw your pearls before swine. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces."

Proverbs 1:7 "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction."

Proverbs 9:7 "He who corrects a scoffer gets dishonor for himself, And he who reproves a wicked man gets insults for himself."

Proverbs 14:7 "Leave the presence of a fool, Or you will not discern words of knowledge."

2 Timothy 3:1-5 "3 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these."